Making written feedback more effective Tutors providing feedback

Making written feedback more effective Tutors: providing feedback how can we make it easier for students to understand our comments and act on them? Text Students: using tutor feedback what strategies can students use to unpack feedback and take actions to develop skills?

2 What is it like for students when they get their feedback? Imagine you are a student and open the package in front of you. Take out form A and read the feedback: What do you think you could do with the feedback? Set out the actions you might take.

3 Student views on Feedback Do any of these views apply to your reading of the feedback? It takes so long I can’t read to get the feedback, that I comments! can’t remember doing the work. Comments make judgements about my attitude or efforts that are not true. There is so much feedback that I can’t make sense of it. It only says Comments are good, but does brief and vague. not say why it is good. I can’t see a connection between the comments and the grade. The comments Often feedback is do not take me confusing and anywhere offers conflicting advice

4 How can we help students get more out of feedback? Suggestions?

5 How can we help students get more out of feedback? 1. 2. 3. In the way we provide feedback In helping students unpack feedback In helping students take action on feedback

6 Chart Helping students How can we help students get more out of feedback? Provision Unpacking Action Feedback/ Feedforward Preparing for a tutorial Provision of support materials -Information -Online tutorials -Skills tutorial -exemplars Tutorial discussion Hyperlinks to follow up

7 What are the purposes of feedback? List the four main purposes.

8 Compare your purposes with these – do you agree with that purpose or not? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. to justify the mark awarded; to show far learning outcomes have been achieved; to comment on the develop of subject academic literacy (planning, style, referencing); to motivate the student by praising achievements to identify areas that the student needs to develop; to suggest resources for the development of student learning; to explain why aspects are correct and worthy of praise; to explain why aspects are not appropriate and show what would be an appropriate expression; to identify the gap between current performance and desired performance at that level of study.

9 The ASK Approach Attitudes- change in attitude to prevent early closure on feedback Strategies- introduction of range of strategies for learning Knowledge- both cognitive and practical to guide student learning in relation to feedback.

10 ASK approach • ATTITUDE: Non-collection/ not following up advice We need to help students rethink their belief in assignment/learning closure Build into module design the need to receive and act on feedback, and ensure students are rewarded for doing so. • STRATEGIES (recognition of variety of learning styles/ needs): • electronic links: learning materials and resources • academic study skills feedback tutorials • self-and peer-assessment • subject feedback tutorials (formative and summative) • workshops (skills and developmental) • KNOWLEDGE (cognitive and practical): Understanding the need to act on feedback. Knowing how to act on feedback. Knowing that the development of skills is a personal investment of time. Acting – taking practical steps beyond merely acknowledging the need to or intentions to.

11 : Be prepared Activity: Be prepared – preparing students for your feedback How does your subject and module literature guide students on how to use tutor feedback? q. Do they know what kind of feedback to expect? q Do they know what to do with your feedback? q. Do you provide suggestions for tutorial, literature or electronic support?

12 Proforma with explanation Student Number: Use only your student number, do not include your name as we follow a policy on anonymous marking. Module code and title: Task: this helps you to ensure that you have focused on the set task. Learning outcomes: Set out the specific learning outcomes for this task. Referencing Feedback Feedforward This section feeds back on how far your review met these requirements. This section offers suggestions for your future improvement. This may include hyperlinks to resources that help you develop your skills and understanding. Structure Analysis Overall comment: Grade: Refer to the Scale to interpret your grade. Staff recommendation: main area for you to work on This section helps you to prioritize your efforts by highlighting the main point from the feedback. This can help you take the first step for acting on feedback Student action: make a note of your intentions on reading this feedback This section is for you to complete when you have thought about this feedback. Make a record of your thoughts so you can put them into action before you start on your next assignment.

Tutors: providing feedback 13 Proforma Feedback/Feedforward to help students differentiate between feedback on work, and feedforward for future learning - help students move from being passive recipient of feedback - to help students see benefit of feedforward for developing skills - to help students see how to work on the feedback in specific ways - to motivate students by providing them with advice to improve their learning at the time they receive the feedback Feedback Feedforward Structure You showed a good level of engagement with the material, but your focus on the question could have been tighter. Explore this link for advice on structuring an argument http: //www. monas h. edu. au/lls/llonline /writing/arts/englis h/2. 2. xml

Tutors: providing feedback to provide students with a starting point With guidance on where to make such a start To help students take control of the feedback by recording their intentions 14 Proforma One area/ action Staff recommendation: Main area for you to work on. You must take note of published sources to distinguish between summaries and opinions. Please explore this guidance on quotation to make appropriate use of both: http: //asp. wlv. ac. uk/level 5. asp? level 5=5549 Student action: make a note of your intentions on reading this feedback

Tutors: providing feedback 15 Providing hyperlinks Try this tutorial on Stephani, 1998 Structurin http: //ww w. monash g an argu. edu. au/lls / ll online/writ ment students want information on ing/arts/en glish/2. 2. x ml How to develop their work. Students often fail to follow up tutor feedback because they don’t know what to do with it (Burke 2007). focus on ‘pedagogic role’ of written feedback, can ‘facilitate learning’ by making it easy for students to followup feedback advice This process can help to make transparent the ‘academic conventions’ that tutors may take for granted (Lillis & Turner, 2001: 66). use of subject specific examples helps students ‘see’ how skills requirements for planning, structuring and referencing look within their own discipline.

Linked webfolios 16 Tutors: providing feedback Students - are provided with a hyperlink to a webfolio this reminds students of the assessed task provides exemplars of student work on the specific task breaks down the structure of the feedback form provides guidance on referencing short examples to illustrate good practice Consult the linked webfolio for initial guidance and illustrations of good practice: http: //pebblepad. wlv. ac. uk/webfolio. aspx? webfolioid= 966245 You can follow up this feedback by arranging a oneto-one session with a Skills Tutor in The Student Support Office MC 238, Tel: 01902 323365)

Students: using tutor feedback Unpacking Feedback Good points Areas for improvement Note these so you do them again Draw out the main areas to work on What has your tutor written? What do you understand this to mean? Feedback you do not understand 17

18 Preparing for a tutorial Students: using tutor feedback use of template can empower student preparation of actual questions moves through stages Activity: Invite students to complete the ‘Preparation for a tutorial section of the form. Use these prompts to prepare for a tutorial with your module tutor. Make an appointment with your tutor, take this form and your assignment to the tutorial. Feedback that Fill in the actions you intend to take on you understand these points and discuss with your tutor You should make I understand this to mean that when I more use of the include a quote I should draw out the quotations you implications that the quote has for my essay. include. The quote might back up the point I am making, or it might offer a different perspective so I can use it as a jumping off point for the next part of my essay. In either case I need to make explicit reference to my reason for including the quote. Feedback that you do not understand

Tutors: providing feedback 19 Recording a tutorial Template provides a way of structuring and recording tutorials The learning need identified in the essay feedback is identified discussion with student indicates their understanding of this learning need follow-up Feedback Tutorial Example information: online tutorials: Summary of Learning Needs to be developed: Your tutor noted that you demonstrated a good understanding of the Exemplars: general topic but that you needed to develop your planning so that you Hyperlink added form emailed. use the information to answer the set question. - specific feedback from We looked at the tutor feedback and Tutor comments on the text of your essay - identified from looking at to see where you could have used work material more explicitly, and also at - response to student query the importance of cutting out material that was not relevant. Hyperlinks: These links will take you to sources that will support your learning: Try this tutorial on Structuring an argument http: //www. monash. edu. au/lls/llonline/writing/arts/english/2. 2. xml 19

20 Where to go for help Planning Skills tutor Module tutor Referencing Subject librarian Module tutor Subject resources Subject librarian Module tutor Grammar Skills tutor e. Tutor Stress Academic counsellor Peers Who to contact How am I doing? to get more out Personal tutor of tutor Module tutor feedback? Unpacking feedback Skills tutor Module tutor Analysis Skills tutor Module tutor

Neville, C. (2009) How to Improve your assignment results. Mc. Graw-Hill. You have not answered the question. Your work is more descriptive than critical. You did not tell me anything new. Your English is weak; it was difficult to follow your arguments http: //books. google. com/books? id=RAXy. Nw. AACAAJ&dq=neville+How+to+Improve+Your+Assignment+Results&hl=en&ei=mpr. OTJv 5 Ls 6 Oswb 96 t 2 WCA &sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0 CDIQ 6 AEw. AA

22 Student views ‘This exercise was interesting and helpful to complete, since I misunderstood some feedback I received and if I did not complete this exercise, I would have continued doing what I was, which would have had a negative impact on my work. ’ ‘I realize that in order to develop my study skills I have to make an effort. I need to research these topics in the same way I do other aspects of my work. ’